Steven Cheung, the White House Communications Director, is reportedly among the leading contenders to replace Karoline Leavitt as White House Press Secretary. Leavitt announced her departure from the role to focus on her family, having recently returned from maternity leave.
Cheung, a veteran Trump adviser, has been involved in overseeing some of Leavitt's duties during her absence. He was born in Sacramento, California, and his career in communications began with an internship for then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. He later worked on various political campaigns before joining the Ultimate Fighting Championship in 2013. Since 2016, Cheung has held positions within Trump's orbit.
Following Leavitt's announcement, Cheung posted a message on X praising her work. "Karoline has been the best teammate. She is fiercely loyal, unflappable, and a great person who serves the President with honor," he wrote. "Although this is a sad day, we're so happy for her and her family."
Leavitt, 28, is the youngest White House Press Secretary and a mother of two. She gave birth to her second child in May and officially returned from maternity leave last month.
Other individuals being considered for the press secretary position include Anna Kelly, the White House principal deputy press secretary, and Taylor Rogers, a senior communications official who previously worked on Trump's campaign. Assistant Press Secretary Liz Huston and Margo Martin, a senior communications adviser to the president, are also mentioned as potential successors.
Historically, White House press secretaries are often selected from within the administration's existing communications team. On the predictions site Kalshi, Cheung was listed with a 13% chance of succeeding Leavitt as of Wednesday afternoon. Other candidates, such as Alina Habba and Anna Kelly, were given higher odds.